Obama signs secret pact to support rebels in Syria while US congress passes sanctions against Iran

According to international media reliable sources have stated that President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for those elements seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government.

Obama's order, approved earlier this year broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad. A U.S. government source acknowledged that under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.

It has been reported that the USA had established a secret base in Turkey near the Syrian border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad's opponents.This "nerve center" is in Adana, a city in southern Turkey about 60 miles from the Syrian border, which is also home to Incirlik, a U.S. air base where U.S. military and intelligence agencies maintain a substantial presence.

Meanwhile, US congress passed sanctions against Iran on Wednesday that aims to punish banks, insurance companies and shippers that help Tehran sell its oil. The United States, European Union, and other Western nations are trying to stop Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons despite Iran claiming its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.